OUR VIEW: Congress plays games with people's livelihoods

The inability of Congress to come to any consensus on the nation's budget is not only disappointing it's unnerving.

Lawmakers still manage to get their piece of American workers' paychecks as federal taxes are deducted to pay Congress members' salaries. But ordinary federal workers are sent home without pay to watch bills pile up, unless they are exempt for public health and safety reasons.

In Murfreesboro, Stones River National Battlefield is closed until Congress can pass a budget. That closure not only seals off bike and walking trails to the public, restricts tourism and keeps local schoolchildren from exploring an important piece of Civil War history, it affects the 12 full-time workers and three Blackman High School students in a job-training program there.

Throughout Middle Tennessee, the Internal Revenue Service and a few other agencies have closed or curtailed operations, leaving their employees without a source of income.

If the shutdown ends up being measured by weeks, Gov. Bill Haslam's administration said Tuesday, it could eventually affect about half of the state's 23 departments.

Tennesseans can expect delays in the delivery of grants for economic development and education, as well as payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Women, Infant and Children vouchers.

Republicans in the House, including 4th District Rep. Scott DesJarlais, have been the biggest advocates for the federal government shutdown.

Withholding funds, the physician-turned-politician argues, is better than allowing the Affordable Care Act to take effect.

"As I have said before, a temporary shutdown pales in comparison to the long-term negative consequences that Obamacare will impose on our economy and our healthcare system," DesJarlais said in a statement to the press Tuesday.

However, the shutdown coincided with the roll out Tuesday of online exchanges on which individuals could purchase health insurance as part of the Affordable Care Act.

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Brentwood, was looking at what she must consider as the bright side of the shutdown, speculating it will help educate taxpayers.

"People are probably going to realize that they can live with a lot less government than they thought they needed," she said.

But, as President Obama pointed out in a speech Tuesday, "the irony is that House Republicans still have to contend with is that federal government is shut down by the Affordable Care Act is still open for business."

We think the American people could do with a lot less game playing and definitely a set of new players.

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OUR VIEW: Congress plays games with people's livelihoods

The inability of Congress to come to any consensus on the nation's budget is not only disappointing it's unnerving.